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Viral Inactivation

An illustration of a virus depicted in a stylized manner. The virus is shown as a large blue circle with a lighter blue inner section, surrounded by spiky protrusions. Colorful pink and purple shapes, representing viral particles or proteins, are shown emanating from the virus against a bright yellow background.

Viral safety is a critical component of assuring the safety profile of drug products for patients. In contrast to chromatographic separation or virus filtration which remove viruses, viral inactivation steps use chemicals or low pH to reduce the levels of infectious enveloped viruses.

While the approach to viral inactivation is highly dependent on the process and molecule, the underlying needs are the same: high quality chemicals, free of viral contaminants that are suitable for biologics manufacturing.

Our differentiated chemical solutions offer the quality and safety profile you need for biologics manufacturing.

Explore our offering and services for:

Solvent/detergent treatment

Solvent/detergent treatments disrupt the lipid membrane of enveloped viruses, leading to viral inactivation. This virus inactivation treatment is typically performed in addition to other viral clearance steps and is particularly useful where alternative viral inactivation methods, such as low pH inactivation, are not feasible.

Triton™ X-100 detergent has long been used for viral inactivation in biologics processing. However, owing to restrictions in the European Union due to its listing under REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals), we have developed our Deviron® detergent portfolio: Deviron® C16 Emprove® Evolve detergent and Deviron® 13-S9 Emprove® Expert detergent. These sustainable detergent solutions for the biopharma industry have excellent viral inactivation performance and are easily removed during processing.

Notably, the Deviron® detergents are part of the Emprove® Program.

Explore the benefits of Deviron® sustainable detergents.

Low pH Treatment

Low pH treatment is typically used for inactivation of enveloped viruses in monoclonal antibody (mAb) manufacturing, however for pH sensitive molecules viral inactivation with detergent may be preferred.

Successful viral inactivation in bioprocessing relies on high-quality acids and buffers which feature low bioburden and endotoxin levels and are manufactured or purified under good manufacturing practices (GMP) for consistent high purity and performance.

Explore our range of high-quality acids and buffers.

Speeding you through the regulatory maze

As part of our industry-leading Emprove® Chemicals portfolio, all materials for virus inactivation are supported with comprehensive, up-to-date documentation to help you navigate regulatory challenges, manage risks, and improve processes.

All reagents are integrated with our Emprove® Program to simplify your raw material qualification and documentation process. Our Emprove® Expert portfolio is designed for higher-risk applications requiring low bioburden and endotoxin levels.

Learn more about our Emprove® Program and request a demo dossier here.

Viral Clearance Testing Services

Viral clearance studies demonstrate the capability of downstream processing steps to remove or inactivate endogenous and adventitious viruses and are a crucial component of regulatory submissions.

Our team of regulatory, downstream processing, and virology experts offer decades of experience in designing and executing clearance studies, that align with regulatory expectations. Our Bioreliance® Viral Clearance Services can be tailored to meet your specific needs enabling you to minimize risk and ensure the safety of your products for patients.

Learn more about our BioReliance® Viral Clearance Services.

Related Product Resources

Related Videos

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High Temperature Short Time (HTST) Pasteurization
High Temperature Short Time (HTST) Pasteurization
Pasteurization for Robust Viral Inactivation of High-risk Biopharmaceutical Raw Materials

Related Webinars

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A digital illustration of a laptop displaying a simplistic human figure next to a pink rectangle, all set against a yellow background.

Viral Risk Mitigation Strategies: Key Considerations in the Prevention and Detection of Viral Contamination


Regulatory guidelines have defined industry best practices around adventitious virus contamination and risk mitigation in terms of patient safety.

A digital illustration of a laptop displaying a simplistic human figure next to a pink rectangle, all set against a yellow background.

Improving Downstream Processing: Application of Excipients in DSP

In this webinar, we will explore the benefits of adding excipients during downstream processing on protein stability, chromatographic performance and viral inactivation.

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Sustainable Alternatives to Triton™ X-100 for Biomanufacturing, the Deviron® Portfolio


In this webinar, you will learn why Triton™ X-100 is banned in the EU, that the Deviron® portfolio offers sustainable alternatives for biomanufacturing, about the application results for various biopharma utilizations that are available and how downstream removal strategies were developed.

Related Product Categories
Biopharmaceutical Formulation
Specifically developed for high-risk biopharmaceutical applications, our high-quality process chemicals and excipients help you to minimize the regulatory and quality-associated risks of biomolecule formulation.
Excipients for Your Liquid Application
Whether you are developing solutions, emulsions or suspensions – we provide high-quality pharmaceutical excipients for liquid formulations.
Protein Stabilizers
Achieve biopharma excellence using quality protein stabilizers and Emprove® documentation for confident formulations and processes.
Virus Filters
Virus filtration in cell culture media and downstream processes enhances drug safety by minimizing contamination and assuring viral clearance.
Viral Clearance
Browse our products for viral clearance, including products for virus inactivation, virus filters, virus filter holders, and virus filter systems. 
Affinity Chromatography Resins
Affinity chromatography is often used during the capture phase to isolate the target molecule and reduce process volume. Our range of affinity resins includes Protein A, anti-A and anti-B, and metal chelate resin, designed for high throughput and cost-effective purification.
Ion Exchange Chromatography Resins
Ion exchange (IEX) chromatography separates biomolecules based on the difference in charge between the target molecule and chromatography resin.
Membrane Chromatography
Optimize downstream purification using membrane chromatography for capture and polishing. Natrix membranes boost economics and facility efficiency.
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Emprove® Program streamlines compliance with technical, regulatory, and supply information in Emprove® Dossiers, supporting risk assessment.
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Viral Clearance studies are critical to the validation of downstream processes, ensuring viral clearance process steps are effective and reproducible in the biopharma manufacturing setting.
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